Pakistan to Host Global Mental Health Summit in Islamabad
The country has around 500 psychiatrists and 200 clinical psychologists for a population of more than 240 million, while only about 1% of psychiatric beds are reserved for children and adolescents.
Pakistan will host the Global Mental Health Summit 2026 on October 1–2 in Islamabad, bringing together government officials, mental health experts, UN partners, academics, development partners, young people and civil society.
The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination will convene the summit under the theme “Building Climate-Resilient and Future-Ready Mental Health Systems for Children, Young People and Communities.”
The summit will focus on child and adolescent mental health, suicide prevention, substance use, digital mental health, innovation and climate-resilient mental health systems.
Pakistan faces a significant mental health burden, with an estimated 80% or more of people with a diagnosable mental illness receiving no formal mental health care in a given year.
The country has around 500 psychiatrists and 200 clinical psychologists for a population of more than 240 million, while only about 1% of psychiatric beds are reserved for children and adolescents.
The ministry is also developing the National Mental Health Policy 2026–35 in consultation with provinces and regions. The summit is expected to support implementation of the policy and culminate in the Islamabad Declaration on Mental Health.
The two-day event will also address the impact of climate and disasters on mental health, including integrating mental health and psychosocial support into disaster-risk reduction and climate adaptation planning.
